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Ryan Andresen

Eric Andresen, whose son Ryan was denied the rank of Eagle Scout becuase he's gay, spoke out against the Boy Scouts of America's ban on gay members at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco on Saturday.

Texas Governor and failed presidential candidate Rick Perry is angry with music legend and LGBT ally Madonna. Why? Because she had the audacity to join the millions of people calling on the Boy Scouts of America to drop their ban on gay scouts and gay leaders.

The Mt. Diablo Silverado Council of the Boy Scouts of America is urging the organization to adopt a non-discrimination policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation after first rejecting a gay Scout's Eagle award application in 2012. The Council becomes the first in the nation to publicly urge the BSA to end its ban on gay members.

After more than a week of reports that the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) might consider lifting their national ban on gay Scouts and leaders, the organization’s Board of Directors decided in a closed door meeting today to form a task force to study the issue, and will in the interim keep their discriminatory policy on the books -- preventing openly gay Scouts and Scout leaders from serving openly in the organization.

After initially being rebuffed by security, ousted Boy Scout mom Jennifer Tyrrell, gay Eagle Scout Will Oliver, gay former Scoutmaster Greg Bourke, and Eric Andresen, father of a gay Scout denied his Eagle Award, were able to deliver the more than 1.4 million signatures gathered on behalf of ending the Boy Scouts' ban on gay scouts and leaders.

On Monday, at 11:00 Central, Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Dallas will get a visit from ousted Boy Scout mom Jennifer Tyrrell, gay Eagle Scout Will Oliver, gay former Scoutmaster Greg Bourke, and Eric Andresen, father of a gay Scout denied his Eagle Award - and they'll be bringing with them the voices of more than a million Americans who want the BSA to end its ban on gay scouts and volunteers.

Media coverage of the Boy Scouts policy change has fallen into a familiar trap, leading to the conclusion that there is no religious support for changing the ban on gay scouts. But religious groups have been advocating for a Boy Scout policy change, some for years.

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